Michael Brasfield Curriculum Vitae 
(Open PDF Copy Here)

Education:

Bachelor of Arts, Police Administration - University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Senior Management Institute for Police - Police Executive Research Forum, Washington, D.C.

            Professional Experience:

2003-2009       Elected Sheriff of Jefferson County, Washington

After retiring for a second time, and returning to the small rural county that I had chosen as my permanent retirement home, I ran for public office.  This 1,815 square mile, predominantly rural, county has a full time resident population of only 26,000.  The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, established in 1853, is one of the oldest law enforcement organizations in the state of Washington.  The Sheriff's Office budget for fiscal year 2008 was $4.5 million.  The Office has 50 employees and a large network of volunteers and reserve deputies.  See the Sheriff's Office web site at www.jeffersonsheriff.org for further information.  I was re-elected to a 2nd term which began on January 1, 2007 by an 80% majority.  I retired from this office in March 2009.

2001 – 2003    Consultant and Program Director - South Downtown Foundation

Responsibility for administering several million dollars for improving public safety in the International District, SoDo, and Pioneer Square neighborhoods of Seattle.  Coordinated efforts with the City of Seattle, the Seattle Police Department and various interest and civic groups in the area. 

1995-2001       Police Chief of Fort Lauderdale, Florida

The 33 square mile city has a full time resident population of 165,000.  An estimated additional 60,000 "snow bird" residents return to second homes in the city during the 6-month winter season.  Fort Lauderdale serves as the seat of government for a county of 1.5 million and is in the heart of a diverse tri-county (Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach) population of 4 million.  As one of the premier tourist destinations in South Florida, over 12 million passengers come through the airport each year.  The ocean port handles the second largest number of cruise ship sailings in the world.  Fort Lauderdale serves as the governmental and business hub of the County.

The City employed a workforce of 2,600 employees and operated with a budget of over $334 million.  IAFF, FOP, and AFSCME Unions represent the fire, police, and general employees, respectively.  The Fort Lauderdale Police Department had a budget of $60 million and consisted of 500 sworn positions and 300 civilian positions.  In 2000 the department received 600,000 calls for service, dispatched over 200,000 of those calls, made over 20,000 arrests, and issued over 65,000 traffic citations. The Department is now nationally recognized as an innovative leader in the field of community policing and was one of only a handful of cities nationwide to be selected as a Community Policing Demonstration Site by the Department of Justice.  Oversaw and operated the only municipal jail in the state of Florida.

A small sampling of initiatives undertaken over the 6 years includes:

·         First large municipal police agency in Florida to receive accreditation

·         Automobile anti-theft tactics that have reduced auto thefts by nearly 35% in one year

·         Aggressive property crime reduction efforts in the area of strengthened pawn shop record sharing and accountability

·         Partnerships with State Probation and Parole staff in "Ride Along Programs" with our patrol officers to remove violators from the community

·         Establishment of "Citizens on Patrol" in specially marked vehicles to enhance public safety

·         Aggressive enforcement of traffic and "quality of life" ordinances to help neighborhoods

·         Establishment of a Nuisance Abatement Board to address drug and prostitution activity

·         Significant reduction in alarm false dispatches to allow increased proactive patrol

·         Innovative anti-prostitution and anti-gang programs

·         Federal "Weed & Seed" designation, which has allowed us to partner with a wide range of community and governmental entities

·         Thirteen sessions of the Citizen Police Academy - a 3 month, 35 hour program

·         Summer COPJAM activities for at risk youth

·         Truancy and curfew programs which have dramatically reduced the rate of property crimes

·         Created a widely acclaimed and informative Internet Web Site: http://www.flpd.org/

In 1997 undertook a city financed $10 million technology enhancement initiative for the Department.  Half of it was for a new state of the art Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) and Record Management System (RMS), and the other half for network servers, individual personal computers, Geographical Information System (GIS), Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS), internet access, bar coding for property control and evidence, and the largest law enforcement deployment of handheld, pen based, Motorola Forte' computers for patrol officers.

During my 6 year tenure, we successfully competed and received nearly $8 million in Federal and State grants.  More than forty percent of the grant funds have gone into non-traditional community and social service support programs, in lieu of police personnel and hardware.

During my tenure there was a dramatic improvement in the relationship between our unions and management.  We successfully negotiated two (3 year) contracts without incident or rancor.  Although there has been an increase in professional expectations of accountability for our employees, disciplinary appeals to arbitration had been all but eliminated.

1990-1995       Assistant Chief - Seattle Police Department

An appointive, exempt position reporting directly to the Chief of Police - acted as the Executive Assistant Chief of the Department and commanded the Support Bureau.  The Police Department employed over 1,875 personnel and had an annual budget of $120 million.

Responsible for and oversaw the activity of nine uniquely different divisions including: Training; Internal Investigations; Crime Prevention: Intelligence; Communications; Personnel; Records & Evidence; Data Processing; and Fiscal, Property, & Fleet Management.  As the Executive Assistant Chief, was responsible for the day-to-day operation of the agency including authority for hiring, discipline, and administrative decisions.  In addition, acted as primary management labor relations and contract negotiator with 12 labor unions.  This bureau employed approximately 100 sworn and 450 civilians.  Served as the Seattle Police Department's jail liaison executive, as well as jail contract negotiator.   Routinely served as acting Chief of Police.

1986-1990       Major

An appointive, exempt position - command of SPD Inspectional Services Division, reported directly to the Chief of Police.  Coordinated and implemented strategic planning for the entire Department and conducted periodic performance inspections of Departmental units.  Oversaw the preparation of the Department's budget, as well as the formulation of departmental rules, policies, and procedures.  Acted as liaison with elected officials and community groups.

1984-1985       Captain

Command of SPD North Precinct.  Responsible for Patrol operations in an area of the city that encompassed a population of 200,000 people and a uniformed force of 130 officers.  The precinct contained over a dozen unique communities including the University of Washington.  Routinely served as acting Patrol Major overseeing all four patrol precincts - 550 sworn personnel.

1982-1983       Captain

Command of SPD Internal Investigations Section, reported directly to the Chief of Police.  Responsible for overseeing the investigation of alleged misconduct of nearly 2,000 sworn and civilian members of the Department.

1980-1981       Captain

Command of SPD West Precinct.  Responsible for Patrol Operations in the downtown core of the city.  Major league sports facilities, waterfront maritime industries, transportation, and financial, retail and business headquarters serving a daytime population of 300,000 -command of 150 sworn officers.

1978-1979       Lieutenant

Commander of Basic Recruit Training.  Responsible for the operation and administration of the recruit training for SPD as well as the contract recruit training with the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission for over 100 law enforcement agencies state-wide.  Average recruit population on campus of 140 in 4 concurrent classes, as well as a multi-agency training staff.  Also served for a brief period as a downtown watch commander in the downtown business area.

1975 – 1977    Sergeant

Served as supervisor in the following:  Patrol - uniformed patrol operations; Special Patrol Unit - plain clothes tactical response to priority crime problems, deployment at unusual occurrences, dignitary protection; Internal Investigations Section - investigation of citizen, departmental, and criminal allegations of police misconduct.

1972 – 1975    Detective

Served in the following:  Accident Investigation Section - plain clothes follow-up investigation of hit-run, serious injury and fatality motor vehicle accidents; Burglary Section - investigated serious crimes directed against property; Vice Section - investigated organized crime, prostitution, pornography, liquor, and gambling activities, and engaged in extended undercover assignments.

1968-1971       Patrol Officer

Started with Mercer Island (WA) P.D. in 1968, and then began career with Seattle P.D. in 1969.

Training (small sampling):

·         Police Liability and the Management of Police Discipline - Americans for Effective Law Enforcement

·         Police Technology and Efficiency - International Association of Chiefs of Police

·         Total Quality Management - The Institute for Quality Service

·         Assessment Center Operations and Management - Federal Bureau of Investigation

·         Executive Development - Federal Bureau of Investigation

·         Incident Command System – National Incident Management System – Through Level 4

·         Gambling Enforcement and Supervision - Washington State Gambling Commission

·         Labor Relations and Negotiations - Federal Bureau of Investigation and Washington Association of Cities

·         Hazardous Materials Incident Management - National Highway Transportation Safety Board

·         Dignitary Protection Management and Supervision - U.S. Secret Service

·         Supervision of Auto Theft Investigation - National Auto Theft Bureau

·         Police Traffic Supervision - Northwestern Traffic Institute

·         Municipal Budget Management - Office of Management and Budget

·         Training for Trainers - Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission

·         Managing Computer Operations - Department of Administrative Services

·         Investment in Excellence - The Pacific Institute

·         Organized and White Collar Crime - The University of Washington

·         Management of Computer Fraud Investigations - USWEST

Law Enforcement Committees & Membership:

National:

·         International Association of Chiefs of Police – Honorary Life Member

·         Police Executive Research Forum

·         National Sheriffs’ Association – Life Member

·         American Correctional Association - Member

State:

·         Appointed by the Governor and served as the only law enforcement member of the Washington State Sentencing Guidelines Commission (August 2003 – 2008)

·         Appointed to, and served as the chair of the Washington State Board on Law Enforcement Training Standards and Education (March 2003 – 2008)

·         Homicide Investigation Tracking System (HITS) Advisory Board (May 2003 – 2006)

·         Executive Board member of the Washington State Sheriffs’ Association (May 2006 – 2008)

·         Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs – Honorary Life Member

Local:

·         Past chair of Jefferson County Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Program

·         Member of the Peninsula College Criminal Education Program Board

·         Executive Board of Olympic Peninsula Narcotics Enforcement Task Force

·         Executive Board of JeffCom 911 Communications System

·         Jefferson County Law & Justice Council

·         Olympic Law Enforcement Executives Association

Achievements (sampling):

·         Past Co-Chair of Private Sector Liaison Committee - International Association of Chiefs of Police

·         Coordinator for successful federal grant application on Community Policing   Program (N.I.J.)

·         National Institute of Justice Symposium on Closed Circuit Television for deterrence and investigation of crime - Washington, DC

·         National Institute of Justice Symposium on Metro Area Drug Strategies - Washington, DC

·         Coordinator for federal grant application on Narcotics Strategies in Public Housing

·         Coordinator for federal grant application on Targeting Young Adult Gang Leaders

·         Federal Bureau of Investigation - National Law Enforcement Budget   Advisory Group - Appointed by the Director of the F.B.I.

·         Broward County Chiefs' Association - President and Steering & Training Committees

·         Southeast Florida Drug Task Force - Board of Directors

·         Metropolitan Broward County Organized Crime Intelligence Unit - Board of Directors

·         Florida Police Chiefs' Association - Ethics Committee

·         Visiting management assessor for cities of New Orleans (LA), Columbus (OH), Portland, (OR), San Francisco (CA), Bremerton (WA)

·         Contract consultant (KOBA Associates) for peer review of NIJ grant work on the establishment of Computer Crimes Units

·         Contract consultant (Federal Housing & Urban Development Grant) to visit and analyze 6 major U.S. cities (Boston, Baltimore, Memphis, Oxnard, Cleveland & Seattle) police agencies and community policing in public housing

·         Subject matter and best practices expert on law enforcement personnel selection, screening, and back grounding – USIS Investigative Solutions Conference

·         Developed statewide law enforcement employment screening and back grounding model for the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs

·         Oversight responsibility for acquisition of Computer Aided Dispatch and Mobile Digital Terminal System

·         Oversight responsibility for acquisition of Comprehensive Shared Records Management System

·         Oversight responsibility for acquisition of Jail Booking Video Imaging System

·         Oversight responsibility for management of computerized Patrol Deployment Model

·         Responsibility for design and construction oversight, acceptance and start-up of new police precinct facility

·         Evaluation of Detective Decentralization Program and Detective Case Management System

·         Acquisition of Geo-based Automated Mapping System

Selected Publications:

·         Contributor - National Institute of Justice - Off-Duty Police Employment Practices

·         Citation - Federal Bureau of Investigation article on joint Police-Community Partnerships

·         Author of national and state articles - alarm reduction issues and strategies

·         Author of several historical articles - homicides of police officers 

Prior Law Enforcement & Community Service:

·         Major City Chiefs - Human Resources sub-committee

·         Washington State Chiefs & Sheriffs - Information Technology sub-committee

·         Mayor's Task Force on Street People and the Homeless

·         Selection and oversight committee for Police Department Management Study consultant contract

·         Selection and oversight committee for Police-Citizen Complaint Process consultant contract

·         Executive Member - South Florida Regional Law, Safety, and Justice Committee

·         Automated Fingerprint Identification System / Jails - On-site benchmark testing & nationwide visitation team

·         Health Service and Police Community Based Alcohol Triage Program

·         King County Executive - Jail Advisory Committee (JCWG)

·         City of Seattle - Deferred Compensation Plan provider selection and oversight

·         Evaluation and Selection Committee - RFP responses for design of new municipal campus

·         Seattle Police Department - reorganization committee that resulted in   Departmental restructuring

·         Explorer Scout Law Enforcement Program

·         United Way of Broward County - Board of Directors

·         Broward County Commission on Substance Abuse - Chair, Board of   Directors

·         Broward County Juvenile Justice Advisory Board

·         Broward County Substance Abuse Policy Advisory Board

·         Broward Workshop - Criminal Justice Committee

·         Florida Department of Law Enforcement - UCR Advisory Committee

·         Alarm Association of Florida / Law Enforcement - Board of Directors (1996-1997)

 

 

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